HELP! How do I safely fatten up a skinny doe?

[Chatychick]

It sounds like she is far enough in her preg to be wormed or else you are just feeding the worm...I know a goat I got this summer wouldnt gain till after worming her. I would watch the corn as grain is harder to digest and its better for them to have alfalfa or alfalfa pellets and good grass hay. I dont give mine corn as they can have hoof problems from it and the beet pulp and alf pellets will do her better than all the other stuff. I would give mine barley if we could get it but cant. I feed mine whole oats, goat chow and alf pellets when I feed and then go around and put out more alf pellets as they love them and it helps with them making milk for their babies and us.
I have Nigerians, nubians, alpines and La Manchas. My LM when she got here was really thin but after about 3 mths and worming and copper bolusing she started putting on weight good and now is due in Feb and she looks well. What does her coat look like? Dull or shiney? If its dull it worms and lack of copper. Does she looks like she has highlites? thats copper also. I copper bolus mine every 6 mths as minerals arent enough. When you pet her are you just basically petting skin over bone are is there some fat? You dont want to bombard her with lots of grain and founder. I would also give her some Probious. Dont mess with Nutri-drench as its just molasses and lots of fluff. If you have some yogurt mine love the strawberry and will knock you done. Vegs are great as treats but to many will give her the trots if she hasnt had any in a long time if ever. Do everything in moderation. You dont want a sick goat and yes they are like horses you have to start them slowly and they can be pigs. The beet pulp and alfalfa pelets or hay would be best with some grain but dont let her get to the layer pellets for chickens as they can get toxic quick. Scratch grains wont hurt unless they overdo it. Good luck and we are here for you.

 

[freemotion]

Very helpful advice, Chatychick. I will just use the barley, no corn, and up the beet pulp and alfalfa pellets. Do you have an opinion as to how much of the beet pulp I can safely feed? I do soak it first. I also throw in some whey that I get from draining yogurt to make a cream cheese, and the leftover whey has the probiotics from the yogurt. I think that is why my horse was able to gain weight on the whole grains over the manufactured Senior feeds, the fresh, live probiotics. I have plenty in my fridge as I don't like yogurt but love the yogurt cheese.

I soak my wheat flour when I cook for us, it is more digestible, btw.

I feed my chickens only whole grains, so the doe is fine. I just don't want her eating dirt and sand with it!

I am giving her about 1-2 cups chopped veggies with her small meals, her poops are still black beans.

She needs weight FAST! How much beat pulp, how fast can I increase her grain? If she is pregnant, she will also be lactating soon, she has no reserves. I think two weeks is too long to bring her feed levels up, but I have to be safe.

Oh, I also have access to xmas trees, we live next door to a farm, and there are leftovers today. I normally would bring a couple home for my horse to nibble, should she have some? Or might she pig out?

My heart is wrenched over this.

 

[freemotion]

I checked her coat now that the sun is shining, finally. She has a little shine to it, not as much as my other goats. They have winter coats now with lots of undercoat. The new doe has a very thin coat, though, so I may blanket her when it gets very cold. I made a blanket for another rescued goat (who ultimately died in spite of all the vet bills...) so she will be the envy....or laughingstock....of the neighborhood.

I don't see any "highlights" so she should be ok with her copper. I think she may have been treated well for a while and only fell on hard times recently. Most of the animals there were in reasonable condition, she may have been too low on the pecking order. Especially with the demands of pregnancy.

Oh, what do y'all recommend for worming? I know TSC has the cattle ivermectin (injectable) and I read that you can draw it up in a syringe, 2 cc's, and remove the needle, and then down the hatch. Anyone do this in preggers goats? I can also give IM and SubQ injections, did for horses, never for goats, though. Advice, please!

 

[FlightsofFancy]

I have rescued a few prego skinny does this year (seems to be an epidemic) and I agree with pretty much everything.....worm her, BOSE, quality feed, alphalfa pellets and I have found that a handful (or 2) of black oil sunflower seeds per day really does the trick. It's fatty, but nutritous and will really help with skin and coat. The babies need the fatty nutrition for good development.
I use a mixture of Noble Goat Chow(1prt), Sweetened Beet pulp (2prt), Grain (1 prt) and Black out Sunflower seeds ( .5 prt or as needed) I give the Alphalfa pellets as needed and free feed hay. But again.....The black oil sunflower seeds has always made the biggest inpact.
Good luck! And Bless you for saving her little life!!!!!

picture of Chloe the day we brought her home.

 

[freemotion]

Thanks, do you have a picture of Chloe now? All fat and shiny?

OK, the sunflower seeds....the ones you buy for birds, shell on? I have not seen them offered any other way, except maybe sunflower chips for premium bird seed in small bags for a very high price. I can get the ones with the shells easily.
If goats eat twigs, they can eat sunflower shells, no? Actually, I have some in the garage for the bird feeders.

 

[Chirpy]

First, do everything slowly with her. You don't want to put on weight too fast as that can be as bad as her being skinny. Go slow and steady with whatever you chose to give her.

I was just talking with several breeders this week about worming my goats, several who are pregnant.

They all use Hoeggers http://hoeggergoatsupply.com/xcart/search.php?mode=search natural herbal wormer weekly.

Then, they use "Positive Pellets" in the dry season (don't drink the milk when using this).

Some of them throw in other things when their does aren't pregnant or milking but I haven't researched them myself yet.

I have yet to start this program so I can't give personal results but my friends here (including the local goat vet) use those.

Would you please link to the site you used to check body weight? I'd love to see that.

Good luck, I'm so glad she has you to look after her now.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Id' go slow on bringing the weight up until AFTER she gives birth.
You dont want her to be too fat, or for the kids to be too large.

 

[sweetshoplady]

Chatychick is right about the free choice hay. That will help substitute foraging at this time of year also. I second Chatychick with the alfalfa pellets too - it will help her to produce milk. And make nice sweet milk - for you and her kids. She can safely eat way more hay and pellets (concentrated hay).

Yes, the sunflowers with the shells. They really like those.

Sounds like you're doing great with her.

 

[freemotion]

Thanks for all the encouragement....she loved her first handful of sunflower seeds. I am amazed that I have everything here already, just about, that I need, when I was not thinking I would be getting a goat quite so quickly.

Bear Foot Farm, how slowly....I don't know when she is due, and her body condition is about a 2-3 on a scale of 9 (I will add the link when I find it again) and I am thinking that once she is lactating it will be very difficult for her to catch up. I am hoping for 2-4 weeks.

Here is what her mix for tomorrow looks like: 1.5 lbs grain mix, mostly barley, a handful of corn and oats. 1 cup sunflower seeds. 1 quart dry beet pulp. 1/2 cup soybean meal. 2 quarts chopped veggies: pumpkin, rutabaga, mangels, apple. 1 Tbsp salt. This will be soaked overnight with water and a little whey for probiotics and divided into 4-6 small meals. Free choice grass hay and water, and at least a pound of alfalfa pellets.....more if the local feedstore has them in stock. More alfalfa as soon as I can find some, by Saturday afternoon, latest.

I will also try to find some leafier hay as soon as I build a hay rack. I was gathering my wood today, for this weekend....anyone have good plans or suggestions for the least waste if I can find some premium hay?

Body condition chart: http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/animal/meatgoat/pdf_factsheets/ANS 00 605MG.pdf

 

[sweetshoplady]

Your diet for her looks great. I feed peanut hay in plastic milk crates, because its leafy and hard to keep together once the bale is broken open.

Sounds like she's in great hands. I'm looking forward to seeing her kids.